Display rack



Sept. 27, 194-9. CUMMiNGS DISPLAY RACK Filed Jan. 23, 1947 Patented Sept. 27, 1949 umrao :s'r 'r s PATENTS "OFFICE DISPLAY RACK r I I Teresa Cummings,"Bufl-'alo, N. Y 7 ap lication January 23, 1947, Serial 123,722 f p y Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and use ful improvementsin"aportabledisplay rack or stand for domestic and'commercial purposes.

It has for one of its'obiects to provide a stand of'this character which is simple, compact and inexpensive in construction, and which is de-" signed to store or display a maximum amount of articles or merchandise, 'in a minimum of'floor space and man 'efiective and readily accessible manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a portable and light weight display rack which is so constructed as to be compactly foldable when not in use and which embodies display trays or shelves having novel means for effectually supporting them as well as for automatically governing their movements to a display or non-display position when the stand is unfolded for use or collapsed for storage purposes.

Other features of the invention reside in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the display rack embodying my invention, Figure 2 is an end-view thereof. Figure 3 is a cross section taken on line 33, Figure 2.

Similar characters of reference indicate the corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to the drawings, showing the preferred embodiment of my invention, I 0, In indicates generally a pair of foldable end frames or standards between which display racks or shelves l l are suspended in a horizontal position to assume an operative display position or an up wardly-tilted non-display position when the standards are folded or collapsed for storage or shipping purposes. Each of the standards includes front and rear legs I2, and I3, respectively, pivoted at their upper ends to a horizontal tie bar or rod M which may also serve as a support for pendant hangers or holders l5 for detachably supporting desired articles thereon. The rear standard-legs 13 may be provided with casters l6 for facilitating the movement of the rack from one place to another. The trays are substantially rectangular in shape and may be of different widths and depths and partitioned as desired depending upon the specific use to which the rack is to be put.

The legs of the standards II] are held in their distended operative or display position by a plurality of brace links or arms 11, corresponding in number to the trays I I, each having a longitudinal slot"|8 intermediate its ends and being pivoted at itsrear end, as indicated at l9, to the rear le'gl3 for vertically swinging movement relative thereto. Applied to the front legs are. adjusting, F5 wing-nuttype screws 20 orlike fasteners which extend through the slotted'linksand serve toadjustably} retainth'e standard-legs in any desired distended position. In all positions of adjustmentf'howeventhe front .ends of thebrace links loextend' somewhat beyond and forwardly of the front legs l2 for a purpose presently to appear.

Each tray H is pivotally suspended at its opposite ends and adjacent the rear side thereof to the companion front legs of the standards l0-', as indicated at 2! to swing vertically to and from an operative display position. Forwardly of its suspension pivot 2l, each tray is pivotally supported at its front end at 22 to the front end of the companion brace-link l1 and for this purpose the pivot thereof engages the front end of the linkslot l8. By this construction the trays are not only effectually held in a set display position upon spreading the standard-legs and clamping the respective adjusting screws 20, but when it is de- 25 sired to fold the rack for storing or otherwise, as the legs are collapsed the respective trays swing upwardly with the links [8 to make for a compact unit. Furthermore, the brace-links function as common bracers and supports for the standardlegs and trays, respectively.

I claim as my invention:

1. A display stand of the character described, comprising a pair of standards each including members pivoted at their upper ends to assume an extended supporting position or a contracted folded position, trays disposed horizontally between said standards and pivoted adjacent their rear ends to one of the companion standard members, and brace links, each pivotally connected at one end to the other standard members and at their opposite ends to a companion tray forwardly of its pivot and movably joined intermediate its ends to the tray-pivoted standard members.

2. A display stand of the character described, comprising a pair of standards each including foldable front and rear legs pivotally joined at their upper ends, a plurality of brace links pivoted 50 at one end to the rear legs and each having a displaceable connection intermediate its ends with the companion front leg, and a plurality of trays disposed horizontally between said standards and pivoted adjacent their rear ends to the front 55 legs of said standards and pivotally joined adjacent their front ends to the opposing ends of the companion brace links.

3. A display stand of the character described, comprising a pair of standards each including foldable front and rear legs pivotally joined at their upper ends, a plurality of trays disposed horizontally between said standards and pivoted to the front legs thereof to swing vertically relatively thereto, and-brace means :pivotally connecting "said ftrays With the rear legs ofsaid standards and each having an adjustable connection to the front legs of the standards.

4. A display stand of the character described, comprising a pair of standards each including, foldable front and rear legs pivotally joined at their upper ends, brace-links pivotally joined at one end to the rear standard legs and having a longitudinal displaceable connection with the companion front legs to effect a relative swinging of said links in response toia folding crunfoldi'ng movement of "the standards, and trays suspended between said standards and each pivoted adj acent its-rear end to the'front standard legsand atits front "end to the freeend o'fthe companion brace-link.

5. 'ik'displaystand of the characterdescribed,

the companion brace-link.

TERESA CUIVIMINGS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 'Great Britain -1903 

